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Pumping one breast and feeding off other.

I have a 10 day old baby and 2 days ago developed severe mastitis in my right breast. The baby refuses to go on the right breast now. In a panic I gave her formula last night as my left breast was so sore trying to pick up the work of 2 breasts. She took 2 oz of formula in 5 minutes no problem!

I really do want to stick with the breastfeedign though. So, I have started to pump on the right and I'm going to offer her a bottle at the next feed (got 2oz so far and judging by what I am reading that should satisfy her for a feed.)

My question is, if she takes the bottle OK and but will not take back to my right breast, am I OK to breast feed of my left only and pump off my right only and feed her that way?

Re: Pumping one breast and feeding off other.

I had mastitis and did the same thing you are doing--I gave dd a bottle and then I wished I hadn't. It was super hard to get dd back to the breast. I know some babies don't get nipple confusion, but she did and then she didn't want to breastfeed. If I could give you one suggestion, it would be to stop giving dd a bottle and only breastfeed. If you need to give your healthy breast a break, pump enough from the other to soften the nipple and then latch baby on to the infected breast and feed from that breast too. I assume if you can't do that you will be ok feeding on one side and pumping from the other but if you can ditch the pump and the bottles it will be so much easier in the long run.

Re: Pumping one breast and feeding off other.

I know that nipple confusion happens, but I just wanted to add that I started giving my baby a bottle of EBM after every single feeding at 14 days old. We did this for a solid month (he dropped a lot of weight after discharge, so we had to fatten him up and he never developed nipple confusion. Truthfully, at the 4 month mark, he started refusing the bottle!

I think the PP has a great suggestion in trying to get your baby to take your right breast, but if she won't, you really have to do what you have to do. If she develops a preference, you can deal with that problem then. It would also probably be wise to call a Lactation Consultant and see what they say. I would think that giving her a bottle of what you pump from your right breast would be preferred to a bottle of formula if she continues to refuse the right breast. It may also be that she'll just be a left-side nurser. Some women go through breastfeeding lopsided (I think a call to a LC would be good)